Conveying system.



W. R. CUNNINGHAM. CONVEYING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SMT. s, 1908` Patented July 13, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l1 Y mi@ W. R. CUNNINGHAM.

GONVEYING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED famme. 1908.

wimuuo W. R. CUNNINGHAM.

CONVEYING SYSTEM.

APILIOATION FILED SBPT.`31908.

Patented July 13, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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W. R. CUNNINGHAM.

CONVEYING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.3. 1908. Y( 928,183. Panuuly 13, 1909.

W. Nj CUNNINGHAM.

CONVEYING SYSTEM. API'LIGATION FILED SBPT. 3.'1908.

Patented July 13, 1909.

SHEETS-S HEBT 5.

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'UNLTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. CUNNINGHAM, OF B'UCYRUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO vTHE AMERICAN CLAY MACHINERY CO., OF BUCYRUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF Oll'IO.

CONVEYING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application tiled September 3, 1908. Serial No. l$51,504..

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, lViLLLiM: R. CUN NINonaM, a, citizen ot the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in the county of Orawford and State of Ohio, have invented cer tain new andr useful Improvements in Conveying Systems, ot' which .the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an iinproved system and means for transporting clay or like loose material from the place where it is mined or dug to the machines which disintegratel it and prepare it for commercial uses, such as the manufacture ot brick and clay products.

In the manufacture et' brick, one of the serious problems to be encountered is digging or blasting the clay or shale and trans porting it to the machinery building. Under the present method of handling clay at the clay bank it is customary to employT industrial cars adapted to run over tracks and trestles and to be moved from point to point by hoist or winding drum mechanism.

An objection to such a system is the expense attending the operation ot the same,

for it requires a man stationed in the pit to attach the cable and shift the cars into proper position, also a man to operate the winding drum for driving the loaded cars to the building. The trestle workds. usually built on an incline and is arranged so that ,thecars are drawn high in the buildings to enable them to deposit the contents into suitable bins be't'ore being delivered to the grinding pans.

Dumping trom one to tive yards of clay, the amount commonly handled. is very severefon the hoppers and the buildings, ,and`

the cars delivering from one to live yards oi clay at intervals makes it more ditlicult to regulate the feeding of the clay into the grinding machines.

To obviate the foregoing objections and to simplify the delivery ot the clay from the bank where it is dug or detached. by a blast., to the grindingmechanism, I have devised la. ystem of apron' or belt conveyors whose positions are capable of beingshiftedl relative to the position of the bank vand wherein the clay removed 1s shoveledor deposited onto the initial conveyer which is adapted to be shifted from place to place and to deliver the clay upon another conveyer, said conveyors being so arranged that one delivers upon the other and a final one delivers u pon chutes in the building which in turn direct the clay into the grinding machines. u VWith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists of the parts and the constructions and con'ibinations of parts which I will hereinafter describe and claim., ln the accompanyingT drawings forming part' ot this.specitication and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views :-Figure l is a diagranr matic plan view showing the arrangement ot conveyersand grinding mechanism and the relation thereto of the clay bank. Fie'. 2 is a side elevation ot' Fig. l, Fig. 3 is an end elevation, Fig. 4 isla top plan view of the (lriving-head of the conveyor 3, the pulleys being shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. (3 is a sectional view on the line a-ct of Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the movable drivinghead for the conveyer Ll, Fig. 8 is an end view ot' Fig. 7, Fig. t) is a top plan view ot the same, Fig. l() is a side elevation ot apa-rt ot the tra me work ot' the conveyor, Fig. Il an end elevation of the same, Fig. l2 is a part sectional view on the line Z) o ot.' Fig. 13 of the take-up at the end ot the conveyor 3, Fig. 13 is a side view of the same, Fig. let is a` top plan view of thecarriage of the takefup, shown in Figs. l2 and i3, Fig. 15,is an en larged detail of the track rail 5 and the roller support for the lower end ot the conveyor 4:. In said drawings and particularly in the diagrainumtic Figs. .1, 2 and Il I illustrate a system wher-einen stationed at the clay bank shovel the clay which has been loosened by blasting or other moans. direct trom the bank and deliver it onto the initial conveyer from which latter it is transferred automatically to a second conveyor which delivers it to a third conveyor leading to the building containing the grinding machines.

The lbuilding may be oi such `consti-uetion and arrangement as will best serve its intended uses, and suitably disposed therein are grindin pans, l, adapted to receive the clay which 1s being delivered b v a i'nal con veyer whose discharge end is eleva tied high enough to deliver the clay into suit e binls,

not shown, in the building andfrom which bins the clay is fed into the grinding pans by suitable means.y

` The conveyer, 2, which is herein shown as a final conveyer, is arranged atany suitable inclination Aand it receives the clay direct from a second or preceding conveyer, 3, which in Fig. 1 is shown as being arranged at right angles with the cenveyer 2v.

- Arranged -at right angles to the second conveyer, 3, is an initial belt conveyer, 4, which receives the clay at the clay bank and conveys the same and deposits itupon the conveyer, 3, for transmission to the final conveyer, 2, and to the grinding pans, said conveyer, 4, being adapted to be shifted .from 'place topla'ce' in a plane substantially parallel with that of the direction of travel of the conveyer 3. In order that the conveyer, 4, may be shifted as described, I secure a suitable track rail, 5, on the ground --near the clay bank or in the bottom of the clay pit, and I 'provide the conveyer, 4, with rol ers to engage and/operate over said track.

In 'the system herein shown it is :intended that the clay shall be blasted from the clay bank, A, in which case the conveyer, 4, would have to be moved towardl conveyer, 2, or

twty from the part of the bank being blasted Y in order to protect said conveyerfrom being injured by the clay falling onto it when the lblast is made; at thesame time as the workmen work along into the clay bank, A, the

conveyer should bedrawn toward them so as to facilitate the handling of the clay and :reduce the llabor required to throw the clay onto the conveyer, 4.l

While I have shown the conveyer,/4, as arranged at right angles to the conveyer, 3, it will be manifest that its position may-be changed; in some cases,v it may be necessary to place it on the other side of the conveyer,

' the drivinghead of the conveyer2.

,in other cases, the conveyer, 2, may

3, as shown by the dotted lines, 6, in Fig. 1;

be ,extended outwardly as shown by dotted lines, 8, and the conveyer, 4,- placed upon either side of this extension, as for instance at the places 4marked 9 and 10. In either case the essential feature of the invention is the einployment of a movable conveyer that can be moved along with the Work or moved out of danger when a blast is employed.v

The system of conveyers herein shown and described is intended to be driven by a rope driven from a sheave, 11, mounted on Only from said sheave the rope passes over properly guided sheaves or pulleys, 12, and around sheaves, 1.3, over sheaves, 14, and passing onto take-up, 15, the lower run of the rope, returning inithc same direction and' being guided by4 sheaves provided for the purpose. y

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, I show by enlarged views the preferred means for constructing the driving head H of the conveyer and the means for driving said conveyer, said means' comprising a steel frame, 1G, of suitable form and dimensions and built up preferably from lstructural steel.

In Figli, is shown the pulley or sheave, 18, into the groove, 17, of which the drivenrope is suitably guided and from whence it passes over a shcave, 19, which is set at an angle as shown in Fig. 5 in vorder to guide said rope after it passes around the sheave, 19, and into' the groove, 20, of the sheave, 18, after which the rope is fed parallel with the conveyer, 3. .The sheave or pulley, 18, is' mounted on a shaft, 21, which is arranged at right-angles with the shaft, 22, and which latter carries a built-up drum or pulley, 23, over which passes andis driven thereby, the belt of the conveyer, 3. Suitable journalbearings are provided for the shafts, 21 and 22',`and these are secured to the ystructural steel frame, 16, byany well known and suit-4 able method. There is also bolted or othery wise secured to the top members of the frame, 16, a casting, 25, in which is secu-red a trunnion, 24, upon which the guide pulley, 19, is loosely mounted. There is also mounted in the frame a guide pulley, 25', which is designed for the purpose of guiding the lower run of the rope returning the rope to the driving head of the conveyer, 2, said pulley, 25 being. mounted on a trunnion, 26, which is secured to a casting, 27 bolted to members of'the steel frame, v16. The shaft, 28, and its pulleys, 29 and 30, illustrate one of a series of shafts properly distributed along the conveyer and vdesigned to support the apron or belt. Q,

In l `ig.`4, I show the members, 31 and 32, of the steel frame of the driving-head of conveyer, 3, and to these members is bolted the frame-Work of the conveyer and which frame work is`slio\vnn1o1e particularly in Figs. 10 and li. By constructing the driving-head vof the conveyer, 3, in the manner described and shown, I am permitted to make this driving head self-contained and rigid so asto keep the sheaves, shafts, gearvreceived by passing under a sheave, 33, and

over asheave, 34, and under a sheave, 35, of the driving-head, 36, of the other conveyer, 4t and' which cnveyer Iwill now particularly describe, having reference to Figs.'7, 8 and 9 of the drawings. The frame for the driving-head H2 of the conveyer, 4,' is de-' signed from structural steel asv shown and on this frame are mounted journal-boxes, 36, in which a shaft, 37, vis mounted, said shaft carrying the guide sheave, 33. I also secure to the frame, 3G, suitable journalboxes, 38, for a shaft, 39, which is arranged vparallel with the shaft, 37, and carries upon one end the driving-sheave, 35, and upon iso ` pulleys, 70, at the ends adapted to supporti` with the said are appropriately bolted tracks, 55 and 56, the driving-head of the between the claysbanlt j'laced conditions may require and bel .the end members, 80 and 81, of the take-up eee, 183 3 able position spaced apart by rods, S2 and S3, passing through sleeves or distance pieces, S4 and 0n the rods between the inner sidesl of the trame members, S() and 81, and the ends ot' thev sleeves, or distance pieces, are suitable rollers, S6 and 87, adapted to run on the lower parallel n1e1nbers or angles, 8S, of the sides of the take-up guide trame and which trame forms a part of the conveyer, 3, and is attached to the .main member, 75, o 't said conveyor. The take-up pulley, 89, is clearly shown in Fig. 18, and it carries the belt, Slt), of the conthe other end a bevel-pinion, 40, which is designed tomesh `in a bevel gear, 41, on one end of a shaft, 42, arranged at right-angles shafts,y37 and 39, and transversely of the frame ot' the driving-head, 36, Said frame carrying journal boxes, 43, for said shaft, 42. Secured to the shaft, 42, is a head-pulley or drum, 44, of suitable construction and which is designed to drive the belt for conveyor, 4. I also secure to the top ot' theframe, 3G, suitable journal-boxes, 45, vFigs. 8 and 9, in which are mounted a shaft, 46, carrying the aforesaid sheave. 34. Suitable truck-saddles, 47,48, 49 and 50, to the driving-head frame, 36, and carry rollersfl, 52, and 54, which 'are designed to run upon a suit.- able track formedby anglesirons, .and 5G, of the frame, said tracks being supported by posts, .57 and` 58, placed at intervals along the conveyer, 3, said. tracks extending the full length of this conveyor. l.l also place at intervals along' the length of the conveyer, 3, suitable shaft', 59, having pulleys, GO, intermediate of their `ends and other cone-shaped supporting pulleys, 91. Fig. 13, also shows a hanger, 92, fixed to the outer endot` the talieeup frame and provided with apulley, 73, overfavliitfh ft passI a rope or cable, 94, -ol'e end of which is'attached to the talte-up frame while the other end carries a weight, 95, which Amay drop into a well and be so a1-' ranged that the amount ot' the weight may be increased or reduced to regulate the tension on the driving-rope and to insure this rope being always sutiiciently taut for driving purposes. The :trame of the initial conveyer, 4, is bolted or otherwise secured to the extending portions, 9G, and 97, of the trame, 3G, ot' the driving head of the conveyer.

' From the foregoing description it will be iimiiitest that by my arrangement ot' conveyers and associated parts `I provide a system of transinission wherein the shiftable conveyer upon which the clay or material .is -tirst deposited is positively driven at all times no matter what position it is necessary to place it relative tothe clay bank and companion conveyors, and it can be removed out of danger of being' ydamaged or destroyed when making a blastfand then moved up close to the workmen so that they are able the upper run of the conveyer belt, said conepulleys being designed to tip-turn the edges of the belt to give' said belt substantially a trough-form. Suitable rollers, 72, mounted on shafts, 71, placed at intervals along the frame-work are also employed for supporting the lower .run of the belt of the conveyor, 3, to insure the proper travel of thisbelt.

. By constructing the driving' head-frame as described and mounting thereon the rollers, 5l, 52, and 54, adapted to travel on the conveyor is.lepti in perfect alinefnenty at all times, and by the rope passing` under the sheaves, 33 and 3st, and over the sheave, 35, the said belt is driven at all times no matter where or in what position it may be located and the line of the conveyor, 2, upon which it delivers the clay. Figs. l0 and l1 show the construction ot the tirarmi work used `t'or supporting the intermediate portions ot the conveyers and which f ,rameworltr comln'ises suitable, uprights or supports, 73, which are bolted to the longitudinal frame bars,'75, o'tl the conveyer, 3, said upil'ights vor lsupports boing at 1such intervals along' the 'frame as AngY suitably stayedor, braced by longitudinal and trans verse lattice brace-bars, 77 and 78.

ln Figs. 12, lf3 and 14, I illustrate the take up at the end ofthe conveyor, 3, and Awhich operates in coiriunction with the loose sheave, TS, overwhch the upper run of the driverope passes yat'tcr it leaves the sheave, 3st, be'lore mentioned, said shca've, 78, being n nninted loosely on a shaft, .79, carried by onto it with the least labor possible. The clay is also distributed along the belts or conveyers, and is so `deposited and transported that itis so uniformly delivered to the grinding pans that is possible for me to dispense With intuir-feeding the clay into the "igrinding pans, that .is now required `when using cars toi" transporting` the clay,` unless an automatic feeder ior the pans is used.

`l claim and desire to secure by Letters lat tent is p t 1. A system tor conveying loose material, said system including a bclt-conveyerlocated at the place of loading, a second belt conveyer operable across the delivery end of the first-named conveyor and adapted to receive the material therefrom, supporting frames upon which said (,fonveyers are mounted, a support for the receiving end of the tirstnamed conveyer and a track upon which the support is movable in a plane substantially suitat right angles to the direction of movement trame and which members arelield in to throw the loosened or dislodged material veyer, 23, which belt runs over one of the Iiaving` thus describedmy invention, what.

rection ot' travel of the conveyer, a wheeled support at the receiving end of the firstnamed conveyor and shiftably mounted on i horizontal and verticalishafts mounted in' one of said tracks, a wheeled driving-head at the delivery end of said first-named conveyer and mounted on the other of said tracks, a second belt conveyer arranged to receive material-carried over the deliver end of the first-named conveyer, and a sing e drivey rope and pulley-mechanism for operating both conveyers. Y

3. A system for transporting clay from the bank or place of digging, said system comprising a belt-conveyer located proximate to the bank and shiftable relative thereto as digging progresses; a second belt conveyer operating substantially cross-wise of and below the plane of the delivery end of. the first conveyer; a conveyer receiving the clay from the second-named belt, and f a single cable-drive mechanism and headdrums for the several conveyers whereby said conveyers are driven in unison.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination with a belt yconveyor and a track or guide rail arranged substantially parallel therewith, of a belt conveyer arranged substantially at right angles to the lfirst conveyor and extending therefrom to a point proximate to the material to be con,- veyed, a support for the second-named conveyer having a bearing engaging and operable over said track or guide rail, a drivecable extending parallel with the first-named conveyer, sheaves or pulleys for said drive cable, and inter-meshing gears vand transmitting shafts between said sheaves or pulleys and the head end of said second-named eonveyer. v j

5. In a conveying system of the character described, an endless belt and a supporting frame therefor, a horizontal shaft mounted transversely across the head en'd of the frame- `work, a drum on said shaft over-which the belt passes, a vertical shaft mounted in a lateral extension of the head end of the frame-work, a guide sheavc on said shaft, transmitting gears between the horizontal and-vertical shafts, and a driving cable engaging said sheave.

G. In a conveying system of th'e character described, an endless belt anda supportingframe therefor formed of structural-metal,

the hea cnd of the frame-work, intermeshing gears between adjacent ends 'of the shafts, a drum on the horizontal shaft over which the belt passes, a-sheave on the vertical shaft, a drive-cable engaging said sheave, a second guide-sheave on' the framework and mounted at an incline and vadapted to directthe course of said cable.

7. In a conveying system of the character described an endless belt and a supportingframe therefor formed of structural-metal,

horizontal and vertical shafts mounted'in the lle-ad end of the frame work, intermeshing gears between adjacent ends of the shafts, a drum on the horizontal shaft over which the belt passes, a sheave on the vertical shaft, a drive-cable. engaging said sheave, a second yguide-sheave on the framework and.mounted 'at an incline andadapted to direct I,the course of said cable, a second horizontal shaft mountedl in the frame-work' and cone-pulleys on the ends of the second horizontal shaft and adapted' to 11p-turn the edges of thebelt.

.8. In a conveying-system of the character described, an endless belt and Aa supportingframe therefor formed of structural-metal, horizontal and verticaly shafts mounted in the head end of the frame-work, intermeshing gears between adjacent ends of the shafts, a drum on the horizontalshaft over which the belt passes, a sheave on the vertical shaft, a drive-cable engaging said` sheave, a second guide-sheave on the framework and mountedat an inclineand adapted4 to direct the course of said cable, a second horizontal shaft mounted in the frame-Work and cone-pulleys on the ends of the second horizontal shaft| and adapted to 11p-turn the edges of the belt, and a guide-sheave, in the lower part of the head-end vof the framework over which the return-run of the belt passes.

9. In a conveying system of .the character' describedthe combination'wit a belt-conveyer and a supporting frame-work therefor said frame-work being constructed with longitudinal guide-rails iny its upper portion, of a cross-conveyer having a frame the headend of which is provided with rollers which are adapted to travel on said. tracks, ashaft mounted transversely across said head end of the frame, ajdrum on said shaft, over which the belt passes, a vertical shaft mounted in a lateral extension of the head of the cross-conveyer frame, a guide sheave, on said "vertical shaft, transmitting gears between said shaft, a drive-cable, and a guide track at the: other end of the cross-conveyer and arranged parallel with the firstiamed guide tracks whereby the cross-conveyer is shiftable to differentpoints along the first-named conveyer.

10. In a conveying system of the character described, the combination, with a belt-con- .veyer and a' supportil fr. frame-work therefor l y l essaies said frame-work being constructed with longitudinal guide-rails in its upper portion, f a cross-eonveyer, having a frame the head end of which is provided with rollers which are adapted to travel on said tracks, and a guide-track at the other'end of the crossconveyer and arranged parallel with the firstnamed guide-tracks whereby the cross* conveyer .is shiftable to different points along the first-named conveyor, and a single drive-cable for operating the two convcyers.

ll. In a conveying system of the character described the combination with an endless belt-conveyor and a supporting framework therefor, said frame-work being constructed with longitudinally 'extending guide-rails, of a second convcyer arranged at rightangles to the lirst conveyor and comprising an endlessbelt and end drums therefor, a supporting frame-work for the second conveyer, rollers on the head-end of the second frame-work 4to operate over the guide-rails of the first f1'ai11e\\'o1'k, a drive-cable and sheaves on the secondy fra1ne\\'ork engaged thereby, a shaft arranged parallel with the direction of travel of the second conveyer, gearing' between said shaft a/nd the head-end drinn of the second conveyor, and a sheave on said shaft engaged by the drive-eable.

l2. ln a conveying system of the character described, the combinatiial with a conveyor comprising an endless-belt and end drums over which it passes, ot' a belt-conveyor operable at right-angles to the first conveyor, a framework for the second conveyer, said frame-work being of structural-metal and comprising longitudinal and cross-supports and crossed braces, and gniderails extending along the upper part of said frame-work, said first conveyer having its head end provided with rollers to engage the track-rails of the framework of the other conveyor, and means' for operating the conveyers.

13. In a conveying system of the character described, the combination with a conveyer comprising an` endless-belt and end-drums over which it passes, of a belboonveyer operable at right-angles to the first conveyer, a frame-work for the second eonveyer said frame-work 4being oit' structural-metal and comprisinglongitudinal and crosssupports and crossed braces, and guiddrails extending along the upper part of said framework, said first conveyer having' its head end provided with rollers to engage the track-rails of the frame-work of the other conveyor, and means for operating the conveyors, said means comprising a drive-cable and guide-sheaves therefor.

la. In a conveying system of the character described, the combination with a eonveyer comprising an endless-belt and end-drums over which itpasses, of a belt-conveyer operable at right angles to the first conveyor, a frame-work for the second conveyer, said frame-.work being of structural-metal and comprising longitudinal and cross-supports and crossed braces, and guide-rails extendn ing along the upper part of said framework, said first conveyer ,having its headend provided with rollers to engage the track-fails of the framerwork of the other conveyor, and means for operating the eonveyers, said n'ieans comprising a drum-cable, a sheave therefor at the older end of said framework, a roller-frame for said gllidesheave, a guidetraek on the framework on which said roller frame is mounted, and means connecting with the roller-frame for maintaining tension on the drive-cable.

Aso

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses...

l/VILLIAM R. CUNNINGHAM. "Witnesses:

JOHN S. DnLAsr-mnrr, S. E. Anon. 

